Air cushion vehicle with supplemental support wheels including centrifugal fan means

ABSTRACT

A vehicle body including opposite side and end peripheral skirt portions which project at least slightly downwardly below a central underportion of the body in order to define a downwardly opening central chamber. Longitudinally spaced portions of the side walls of the body include horizontal openings formed therethrough adjacent the lower extremities of the side walls and opening into longitudinal air plenums defined within the side walls. The plenums open downwardly and inwardly into the opposite sides of the central chamber and axial intake driven blower wheels are supported within the air plenums in registry with the inner ends of the horizontal openings and are operative to draw ambient air into the air plenum chambers from the exterior of the body through the horizontal openings for subsequent discharge downwardly and inwardly into the central chamber, whereby a vehicle supporting air cushion is formed in the central chamber. The blower wheels include peripheral load supporting tread portions and are vertically shiftable between upper and lower positions spaced above and lowered into rolling contact with a vehicle body supporting surface disposed beneath the vehicle body and along which the body is to be moved.

United States Patent 1 Van Veldhuizen 51 Jan. 16,1973

[54] AIR CUSHION VEHICLE WITH SUPPLEMENTAL SUPPORT WHEELS INCLUDING CENTRIFUGAL FAN MEANS [76] Inventor: John Van Veldhuizen, 31601 S.W. 197th Avenue, Homestead, Fla.

[22] Filed: Aug. 7, 1970 [21] Appl. No.: 62,033

[52] US. Cl. ..180/119, 104/23 FS, 180/126 [51] Int. Cl. ..B60v 1/04, B60v 3/04 [58] Field of Search ..180/119,116,1l7,118,126,

[56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 3,211,124 10/1965 Mantle ..180/116X 3,229,781 l/1966 Jones ..180/119 3,253,666 5/1966 Kiernan et a1. ..180/116 X 3,332,389 7/1967 Van Veldhuizen et a1. ...180/l26 UX 3,468,395 9/1969 Winter ..180/117 3,521,566 7/1970 Van Veldhuizen et al. ...180/l26 UX FOREIGN PATENTS OR APPLICATIONS 1,103,106 2/1968 Great Britain ..180/119 Primary Examiner1(enneth H. Betts Att0rneyClarence A. OBrien and Harvey B. Jacob- [5 7] ABSTRACT A vehicle body including opposite side and end peripheral skirt portions which project at least slightly downwardly below a central underportion of the body in order to define a downwardly opening central chamber. Longitudinally spaced portions of the side walls of the body include horizontal openings formed therethrough adjacent the lower extremities of the side walls and opening into longitudinal air plenums defined within the side walls The plenums open downwardly and inwardly into the opposite sides of the central chamber and axial intake driven blower wheels are supported within the air plenums in registry with the inner ends of the horizontal openings and are operative to draw ambient air into the air plenum chambers from the exterior of the body through the horizontal openings for subsequent discharge downwardly and inwardly into the central chamber, whereby a vehicle supporting air cushion is formed'in the central chamber. The blower wheels include peripheral load supporting tread portions and are vertically shiftable between upper and lower positions spaced above and lowered into rolling contact with a vehicle body supporting surface disposed beneath the vehicle body and along which the body is to be moved.

6 Claims, 7 Drawing Figures PATENTED JAN 16 I973 SHEET 1 UF 3 John Van Ve/d/rm'zen IA\' VIIA TO K W Qwaaifiu WWW PATENTEDJAH 16 ms SHEET 2 BF 3 s n E INVENTOR. aofi'n. BY 2%.

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AIR CUSHION VEHICLE WITH SUPPLEMENTAL SUPPORT WHEELS INCLUDING CENTRIFUGAL FAN MEANS The air cushion vehicle of the instant invention has been designed for use either on a flat ground surface, on water or on a monorail structure. Either form of the invention illustrated and described hereinafter may be operated so as to be buoyed above its supporting surface by means of an air cushion and the monorail form of the vehicle includes swingable lower opposite side and longitudinally extending skirt portions which may be swung inwardly under opposite side marginal edge portions of a monorail structure in order to key the vehicle to the monorail structure against uncontrolled upward movement relative thereto.

Further, either disclosed form of the invention may or may not include steerable front wheels and provision is provided in each form of the vehicle disclosed for air propulsion of the vehicle when the supporting wheels thereof are raised above the support surface over which the vehicle is supported by an air cushion.

The main object of this invention is to provide a novel air cushion vehicle including blower means which may be rotated at speed in order to form the desired air cushion beneath the body of the vehicle and which may also be utilized as support wheels for the vehicle when the vehicle is traveling at slow speeds.

A further object of this invention, in accordance with the immediately preceding object, is to construct a vehicle including vertically retractable and extendible ground engaging support wheels including steerable front wheels whereby the vehicle may be operated and steered over level ground surfaces.

Yet another object of this invention, in accordance with the immediately preceding object, is to provide a vehicle including pivoted lower opposite side and longitudinally extending skirt portions which are swingable inwardly for disposition beneath opposite side marginal edge portions of a monorail upon which the vehicle is operatively disposed so as to key the vehicle against upward uncontrolled movement relative to the monorail.

Still another object of this invention is to provide the inwardly swingable opposite side skirt portions of the vehicle with roller means operative to rollingly engage the undersurface portions of the opposite sides of an associated monorail structure.

A further object of this invention is to provide an air cushion vehicle including means for forward air propulsion and air braking.

A final object of this invention to be specifically enumerated herein is to provide an air cushion vehicle in accordance with the preceding objects which will conform to conventional forms of manufacture, be of simple construction and easy to use so as to provide a device that will be economically feasible, long lasting and relatively trouble free in operation.

These together with other objects and advantages which will become subsequently apparent reside in the details of construction and operation as more fully hereinafter described and claimed, reference being had to the accompanying drawings forming a part hereof, wherein like numerals refer to like parts throughout, and in which:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the air cushion vehicle;

FIG. 2 is an enlarged top plan view of the vehicle;

FIG. 3 is a longitudinal vertical section view taken substantially upon the plane indicated by the section line 3-3 of FIG. 2;

FIG. 4 is a fragmentary enlarged transverse vertical section view taken substantially upon the plane indicated by the section line 4-4 of FIG. 3;

FIG. 5 is a fragmentary enlarged horizontal sectional view of the forward left hand corner portion of the vehicle illustrating the steering controls for the front wheels of the vehicle and the hydraulic motor controls for the side flaps controlling braking air;

FIG. 6 is a fragmentary transverse vertical sectional view taken substantially upon a plane passing through the left front wheel assembly of the vehicle; and

FIG. 7 is a fragmentary transverse vertical section view similar to the right hand portion of FIG. 4 but illustrating a modified form of vehicle and its operative association with a monorail structure.

Referring now more specifically to the drawings, the numeral 10 generally designates the air cushion vehicle of the instant invention. The vehicle 10 includes a central longitudinally extending passenger compartment central body section 12 and a pair of opposite side longitudinally extending side body sections 14 and 16. A resilient bow or forward end structure referred to in general by the reference numeral 18 is carried by the forward end of the vehicle body comprising the sections l2, l4 and 16 and the forward end portion of the central body section 12 includes an operators cab 20.

From FIG. 4 of the drawings it may be seen that the central body section 12 includes opposite side walls 22 and 24 and that the side body sections 14 and 16 are for the most part disposed outwardly of the side walls 22 and 24. The center body section 12 further includes an inner bottom 26 extending between the inner side wall portions 28 and 30 of the side body sections 14 and 16 and also an intermediate bottom 32 extending between the side wall portions 28 and 30 below the inner bottom 26. Finally, the center body section 12 also includes a lower bottom 34 extending between the side wall portions 28 and 30 below the intermediate bottom 32.

The spacing between the bottoms 32 and 34 defines a closed flotation compartment 33 which may be filled with any suitable form of lightweight flotation material (not shown) and longitudinally spaced portions of the area 35 disposed between the inner bottom 26 and the intermediate bottom 32 may be utilized for storage compartments, although one forwardly disposed portion 35' of the space between the inner bottom 26 and the intermediate bottom 32 opens through both of the side wall portions 28 and 30 so as to communicate the interiors of the side body sections 14 and 16.

The resilient bow section 18 includes a skeleton framework 36 supported from and disposed forwardly of the forwardly and upwardly inclined forward walls 38 of the side body sections 14 and 16. The framework 36 is also supported from and disposed forwardly of a corresponding forwardly and upwardly inclined forward wall 40 of the central body section 12. This framework 36 is covered by a resilient covering 42 and openings 44 are formed in the forward walls 38 thereby communicating the opposite side interior portions of the resilient bow section 18 with the forward ends of the interiors of the side body sections 14 and 16.

The side body sections 14 and 16 each includes hollow upwardly projecting rear end portions 46 defining rearwardly opening air outlets 47 in which pairs of airflow controlling upstanding air shutters 48 interconnected by means of fluid motors 50 are disposed. In addition, each of the rear end portions 46 also includes an upstanding vertical air rudder 52 disposed rearwardly of the corresponding shutters 48 and actuated by means of a fluid motor 54. The shutters 48 and rudders 52 are each oscillatable about an upstanding axis and it may therefore be seen that the shutters 48 may be utilized to control the discharge of air from the rear end portions 46 while the rudders 52 may be utilized to laterally deflect the air discharged from the rear end portions 46.

The side body sections 14 and 16 define downwardly opening channels or air plenums 55 which extend longitudinally of the opposite sides of the central body section 12. The outer wall portions 56 of the side body sections 14 are hollow and have elongated flexible and inflatable air bladders 58 secured to their lower edge portions. The air bladders 58 project slightly below the lower bottom 34 and the rear end portions of the outer wall portions 56 have three longitudinally spaced openings 60 formed horizontally therethrough and each outer wall portion 56 also has a forward air outlet opening 62 formed therein. The air outlet openings 62 each has a closure flap 64 operatively associated therewith and each closure flap 64 is pivotally secured to the corresponding outer wall portion 56 as at 66 and is shiftable between the closed solid line position illustrated in FIG. of the drawings and the open dotted line position illustrated in FIG. 5.

The lower portions of the side walls 22 and 24 in transverse registry with the openings 60 have support plates 68 supported therefrom by means of upstanding guides 70 and each of the plates 68 supports a suitable motor 72 upon which an axial inlet and radial discharge blower wheel 74 is mounted. in addition, each blower wheel 74 supports a cylindrical wheel rim 76 on its outer end registered with the inner end of the corresponding opening 60 and each wheel rim 76 has a resilient tire 80 mounted thereon. When the support plates 68 are disposed in their lower most positions, the tires 80 project below the air bags or bladders S8 and when the support plates 68 are in their uppermost positions, the tires 80 are spaced above the lower extremities of the air bladders 58.

A plurality of fluid motors 82 are operatively connected between the center body section 12 and the support plates 68 and are operable to vertically shift the latter as desired. It will also be noted, see FIG. 4, that the outer axial ends of the wheel rims 76 are closely spaced relative to the inner ends of the openings 60.

The air cushion vehicle further includes a horizontal rear transverse hollow wall portion 86 which is communicated with the rear ends of the hollow outer wall portions 56 by means of air passage openings 88, see FIG. 3. Further, the rear transverse hollow wall portion 86 has a lower air bladder 90 secured to its lower marginal portion and the interior of the air bladder 90 is communicated with the interior of the rear hollow wall portion 86 by means of registered openings 92 formed in the upper wall portion of the hollow bladder 90 and openings 94 formed in the bottom wall portion of the rear transverse hollow wall portion 86.

With attention invited now more specifically to H6. 6 of the drawings it will be noted that the hollow outer wall portion 56 is communicated with the interior of the side air bladders 58 through openings 96 formed in the upper wall portions of the air bladders 58 and openings 98 registered with the openings 96 formed in the lower wall portions of the outer wall portions 56.

A pair of opposite side support plates 100 corresponding to the support plates 68 are supported from the forward end portions of the side walls 22 and 24 and each of these support plates 100 includes a pair of vertically spaced journals 102 from which a motor 104 corresponding to the motor 72 is oscillatably supported. Each of the output shafts of the motors 104 has a ground-engaging wheel 106 mounted thereon and a tie rod 108 extends between the motors 104 for simultaneous and equal oscillation of the latter. Of course, any suitable steering means such as a steering arm 1 10 supported from a centrally located steering box 112 may be utilized to shift the tie rod 108 whereby the motors 104 will be oscillated.

A fluid motor 114 is operatively connected between each of the side walls 22 and 24 and the corresponding flap 64 whereby the flap 64 may be swung between the open and closed positions.

With attention now invited more specifically to FIG. 7 of the drawings there may be seen a modified form of vehicle referred to in general by the reference numeral 10 and which includes many of the structural components of the vehicle 10 and which have therefore been designated by corresponding prime reference numerals.

The vehicle 10 is adapted to be utilized in conjunction with and is therefore illustrated as being supported from a monorail structure referred to in general by the reference numeral 120. The monorail structure includes opposite side longitudinally extending horizontally outwardly projecting flange portions 122 provided with flat upper surfaces 124 and flat lower surfaces 126. The tires 80' of the vehicle 10' are adapted to roll along the upper surface portions 124 when the support plates 68' are lowered and to be retracted above the upper surface portions 124 when the support plates 68' are raised. in addition, the hollow outer wall portions 56 of the vehicle 10' include hinged lower marginal portions 56" which may be swung from retracted upstanding positions to inwardly projecting horizontal positions such as those illustrated in FIG. 7 of the drawings so as to underlie the undersurface portions 126. In addition, the swingable lower marginal portions 56" include rollers 128 for rollingly contacting the undersurfaces 126 and retaining the vehicle 10' in a lowered position with the tires 80' engaged with the upper surface portions 126. Of course, the motors 72' as well as the motors 72 and 104 may be of the reversible type whereby reversing power may be applied for braking. On the other hand, suitable brake assemblies (not shown) may also be carried by each of the motors for braking the associated wheel.

The hollow side wall portions 56' additionally include friction pads 130 for engagement with the outer edge portions of the monorail structure 120 and guiding the movement of the vehicle 10 along the monorail structure 120.

In operation, actuation of the motors 72 and 104 will cause rotation of the corresponding tires 80 and 106 and thus the vehicle to be moved along its supporting surface. However, when the forward speed of the vehicle 10 has been raised sufficiently, the blower wheels 74 are operative to draw air inwardly through the openings 60 and into the plenum chambers defined by the downwardly opening hollow side body sections 14 16. The air discharged radially outwardly from the blower wheels 74 is discharged into the air plenums 55 for discharge downwardly and inwardly therefrom in order to form a supporting air cushion beneath the lower bottom 34 and between the air bladders 58. In this manner, the tires 80 and 106 are elevated slightly above the supporting surface over which the vehicle 10 is disposed and at this point the fluid motors 82 may be actuated to raise the support plates 68 and 100 thereby elevating the tires 80 and 106 appreciably above the supporting surface over which the vehicle 10 is disposed. At this point, the motors 72 and 104 may be appreciably increased in speed whereby sufficient air is pumped into the opposite side body sections 14 and 16 to not only form an air cushion beneath the vehicle 10 but also to provide sufficient rearward discharge of air from the rear end portions 46 to propel the vehicle 10 forwardly independent of tractive engagement of the tires 80 and 106 with the support surface over which the vehicle 10 is disposed. Of course, the shutters 48 may be closed in order to terminate the rearward discharge of propulsion air and the flaps 64 may be opened so as to discharge air forwardly from the hollow opposite side body sections 14 and 16 in order to brake the vehicle 10. Also, the vehicle 10, as hereinbefore set forth, may be provided with brake assemblies operatively associated with the various tires 80 and 106 in order that the tires may be braked when the vehicle 10 drops down into contact with the support surface over which the vehicle 10 is disposed.

Of course, the embodiment of the invention illustrated in FIG. 7 of the drawings is operative in substantially the same manner except that the lower marginal portions 56" of the outer wall portions 56 may be swung under the opposite side marginal portions of the monorail structure 120 in order to limit upward movement of the vehicle 10 relative to the monorail structure 120 and to prevent the vehicle 10' from leaving the monorail structure 120.

The foregoing is considered as illustrative only of the principles of the invention. Further, since numerous modifications and changes will readily occur to those skilled in the art, it is not desired to limit the invention to the exact construction and operation shown and described, and accordingly all suitable modifications and equivalents may be resorted to, falling within the scope of the invention as claimed.

What is claimed as new is as follows:

1. A vehicle body including upstanding longitudinally extending hollow opposite side sections, each including inner and outer wall portions and having at least one horizontal opening formed in its outer wall portion, said hollow side sections defining longitudinally extending air plenums said body including depending peripheral skirt portions defining a central downwardly opening chamber beneath said body and into which the lower portions of said plenums open, said body including driven axial intake rotary blower wheels mounted within said air plenums in registry with the inner ends of said openings and operative to draw ambient air into said air plenums from the exterior of said side sections through said openings for subsequent discharge into said chamber, whereby to form a vehicle body supporting air cushion in said chamber.

2. The combination of claim 15 including supports mounted within said body for vertical shifting between upper and lower limit positions and from which said blower wheels are journaled, said blower wheels including outer peripheral load supporting treat portions including lower portions spaced above the lower extremities of said skirt portions when said supports are in their upper limit positions and projecting below said skirt portions when said supports are in their lower limit positions.

3. The combination of claim 2 wherein said vehicle body includes opposite end portions, said blower wheels being supported from an end portion of said vehicle body, a pair of opposite side ground-engaging wheels supported from said body within said air plenums at the other end thereof and also shiftable between upper and lower limit positions spaced above and projecting below said skirt portions, said pair of wheels also being supported for oscillation about upstanding axes.

4. The combination of claim 3 wherein the last-mentioned pair of wheels also comprise driven wheels.

5. The combination of claim 1 wherein said skirt portions comprise inflated flexible bladder members.

6. The combination of claim 1 wherein the peripheral skirt portion at one end of said body comprises the lower portion of a hollow endwise outwardly and upwardly inclined inflatable and resilient bow supported from said one end of said body, the ends of said plenums adjacent said bow also opening into opposite side portions of the latter for inflation of the bow by air drawn into the air plenums by said axial intake rotary blower wheels. 

1. A vehicle body including upstanding longitudinally extending hollow opposite side sections, each including inner and outer wall portions and having at least one horizontal opening formed in its outer wall portion, said hollow side sections defining longitudinally extending air plenums said body including depending peripheral skirt portions defining a central downwardly opening chamber beneath said body and into which the lower portions of said plenums open, said body including driven axial intake rotary blower wheels mounted within said air plenums in registry with the inner ends of said openings and operative to draw ambient air into said air plenums from the exterior of said side sections through said openings for subsequent discharge into said chamber, whereby to form a vehicle body supporting air cushion in said chamber.
 2. The combination of claim 15 including supports mounted within said body for vertical shifting between upper and lower limit positions and from which said blower wheels are journaled, said blower wheels including outer peripheral load supporting treat portions including lower portions spaced above the lower extremities of said skirt portions when said supports are in their upper limit positions and projecting below said skirt portions when said supports are in their lower limit positions.
 3. The combination of claim 2 wherein said vehicle body includes opposite end portions, said blower wheels being supported from an end portion of said vehicle body, a pair of opposite side ground-engaging wheels supported from said body within said air plenums at the other end thereof and also shiftable between upper and lower lImit positions spaced above and projecting below said skirt portions, said pair of wheels also being supported for oscillation about upstanding axes.
 4. The combination of claim 3 wherein the last-mentioned pair of wheels also comprise driven wheels.
 5. The combination of claim 1 wherein said skirt portions comprise inflated flexible bladder members.
 6. The combination of claim 1 wherein the peripheral skirt portion at one end of said body comprises the lower portion of a hollow endwise outwardly and upwardly inclined inflatable and resilient bow supported from said one end of said body, the ends of said plenums adjacent said bow also opening into opposite side portions of the latter for inflation of the bow by air drawn into the air plenums by said axial intake rotary blower wheels. 